[Vocabulary] Meaning of "Imperial Gold" in the novel series "Heroes of Olympus" by R. Riordan

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Meaning of "Imperial Gold" in the novel series "Heroes of Olympus" by R. Riordan

"Imperial Gold" is a term invented by author Rick Riordan in his novel series "Heroes of Olympus." It is a type of metal that can destroy monsters. The word "Imperial" is related to the Roman Empire/Emperors since the whole series is about Roman and Greek demigods fighting against monsters. It is equivalent to the metal "Celestial Bronze" used by Greek heroes and "Stygian Iron" (Iron of/from river Styx) used by people from the Underworld. Of course, these terms are all invented.

However, I don't understand what the author meant by the word "Imperial", since it has several meanings that can be translated into my mother tongue differently, although the difference is minimal.

Here are the meanings of the word "Imperial":
1.of,like,orpertainingtoan empire. 2.of,like,orpertainingtoan emperor orempress.3.characterizingtheruleorauthority of a sovereign state over its dependencies, eg. "imperial nations."
4.of the nature or rank ofan emperor orsupreme ruler.
5.of a commanding quality, manner, aspect, etc.

In my home language, no matter if it is a noun or adjective, we have different words for the emperor/the empire. So I want to know what "Imperial" really means in this context. I'd like to be able to translate it. Should I call it The Gold of the Emperors? Or Empire's Gold? Or does it just mean Majestic/Sacred Gold?

I really want to know what come up in your minds when you read this term. Thank you very much.

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If you're not familiar with this novel series, the following explanation may help:

Imperial Gold is a metal that can destroy monsters. It is made by consecrating it in the Temple of Jupiter or on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. The metal is extremely rare, but very powerful. It seems to be the Roman version of Celestial bronze. Like the Roman emperors, it is quite volatile, as stated by Medea. It explodes in a ring of force when broken, as shown when Jason Grace's lance broke when he fought the Giant Enceladus but the blast is not powerful enough to destroy stronger monsters. Imperial Gold may be slightly harder and stronger than Celestial bronze and because it is forged from the Temple of Jupiter; the metal can be used to vaporize storm spirits. Like how the Greek warriors usually used Celestial bronze, this is supposedly the most common weapon used by the Roman Legion.

Re: Meaning of "Imperial Gold" in the novel series "Heroes of Olympus" by R. Riordan

Many thanks, Barb_D. That's what I think too. Oh, and I love these series so much. The second book is really good, but I hate its cliffhanger ending. Isn't it an unnecessary attempt to attract more readers? I mean, I'm gonna buy the next book not because of the cliffhanger itself, but because this is a good series. Why not just let us rejoice at Percy and Annabeth's reunion?